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Regan Harris
Road along Pulhapanzak Falls
Honduras
“We can’t go get them. It’s a drug cartel. There’s been gunfire. It’s over. We lose.” My heart sank at the thought. We were losing since we couldn’t find Gray.
“We have to. Listen to me, Regan.” Gracie turned to face me. “Guy knows this area. He knows the people. Michael and Frank are rich and connected. We need them to find Gray. Without them, we are just a ragtag group beating a path through the jungle. Are you listening? We need all of their help to find Gray.” Gracie waved her hand toward the expanse of trees behind her.
“Gray would go back for them,” Gracie’s voice was soft as she delivered the blow.
Gray would go back for them, but Gray wasn’t here. We were. And, Gracie was right, we were nothing but a ragtag group thrown together under circumstances. I didn’t believe Gracie for a second that she wanted to save Frank and Michael. She didn’t want them hurt but she wouldn’t put her life on the line for them.
But for Guy? Absolutely. He was her one true concern.
I twirled my hand in a circular motion between all of us. “We would be going up against Guy, the two men with him, and two car loads of drug dealers. That’s five against... thirteen people, maybe. No way.”
“Twelve.” Gracie pointed at the open trunk and the man still out cold. “Maybe less. Maybe the cars weren’t full.”
“Why isn’t anyone else trying to talk sense into her? Hello? It’s a crazy idea,” I said.
“We may not have a choice.” Liam pointed down the road. An SUV roared out of the parking lot. The head and shoulders of a man hung out of the passenger window. He raised his gun and aimed at us.
“RUN!” Liam shouted. He grabbed Jax’s hand and pulled her into the trees. Ben was next to them, keeping pace.
I sprinted for the tree line but turned back when I realized Gracie wasn’t with me. She stood behind the car, completely out in the open. Her hands were raised and she actually smiled as the car neared her.
My body urged me to keep running but my mind made me waver. I couldn’t leave her. I would never forgive myself for running away from danger while she stayed and faced it. I knew what she was thinking. The men would take her to Guy. That’s all she cared about, getting back to her husband. Even if it meant facing down a drug cartel.
I hadn’t wanted to bring her along for this very reason. She was putting all of our lives in danger with her obsession over Guy. I didn’t fault her for wanting to see her husband. I did fault her for putting us in danger to do it.
The vehicle barreled down on us. I didn’t have time to run back to her and then drag her away to safety. I had two choices. Run away and leave her or run back and face the danger with her.
I made the only choice I could. I pulled my gun out and threw it into the trees where Liam and Ben had disappeared with Jax. At least one of them might find it and put it to good use instead of the cartel confiscating it from me. I turned on my heel and ran back. I held my hands up, hoping they wouldn’t shoot an unarmed woman. I stepped between them and Gracie.
The SUV slowed down and three men piled out, yelling at us. Their words were too loud and too fast for me to piece together. I just knew they were angry. At the sight of their comrade in our trunk, the anger mounted. One pointed his gun at my chest and poked me with it several times. Pain radiated through my sternum, but I was okay with it as long as he didn’t pull the trigger. I would die instantly with the gun an inch from my heart.
Gracie spoke from behind me, her Spanish flawless. I was pretty sure she was telling them their friend was alive. Just watch him breathe and see.
The tallest man, the driver, reached down and smacked the unconscious man across the face. He groaned in response, relieving some of the tension. He seemed to be in charge as he barked orders at the other two.
I was jerked around and a zip tie was used to bind my wrists together. The hard plastic dug into my skin. I pulled against it to no avail while I was patted down. Gracie was quickly bound too. The man laughed when he found her Taser. He tossed it to the leader before we were shoved into the tailgate of the SUV.
Gracie sat sideways with her legs in front of her next to the back of the rear seat. I squeezed in beside her, facing her with my feet resting by her body. It was uncomfortable with our heads bent down to our chests and our hands behind us. Not that our captors cared.
Two of the men lifted their friend out of the trunk and helped him into the back seat. He turned and glared at us as he rubbed the back of his head. The leader yelled for the other two men to follow the runners. He pointed toward the trees where Liam, Jax and Ben had disappeared, before speeding away. Gracie and I bounced around the cargo area as the car swung around to head back the way it came.
“¿Hablas inglés?” I asked.
“No. Cállate,” the driver said.
I hoped he was telling the truth. It would give Gracie and me a way to communicate. I didn’t speak any other languages which left Pig Latin as our only other means if they could understand us.
The driver spoke rapidly to the other men. The gun stayed pointed at us but the man holding it turned toward the driver.
I used the time to prepare myself. I pushed my shoulders against the wall and raised my butt into the air. I slid my hands down until they rested against the backs of my thighs. I sat my rear back down and took a moment to catch my breath. The new position forced my head down and chest against my legs. I couldn’t inhale enough air to feel satisfied so I took many short breaths instead.
I pulled my left leg up while pushing my hands down. I managed to get my foot through the opening and under my wrists. The other leg fit much easier, and I soon found myself bound in the front instead of the back. My wrists and shoulders felt the relief instantly. Now, I was at least able to run. I relished my small victory.
“What are you doing?” Gracie whispered.
“I don’t know. Anything I can to move easier.” I shuffled around and found a more comfortable position. “Why didn’t you run?”
“I... I froze.”
“You didn’t freeze. You were smiling. You wanted to be caught,” I called her on her lie.
“I just want Guy safe.” Gracie glared at me, challenging me.
“Your loyalties are screwed up right now. Can you get your hands in front of you?” I whispered. Her face sagged at the reprimand.
Gracie shook her head back and forth. “I’m not that flexible.”
“Regan,” Gracie began. I shook my head at her. I didn’t want to hear whatever she had to say but she continued. “We need Guy.”
I let my anger out. “No, you need Guy. I get it. Sort of. Right now, our only goal is to get out of this alive,” I whispered back.
“With Guy,” Gracie demanded again.
“No.”
“He can help us. Think about it. We’ve pieced together all the information we have by hiding in closets and traipsing through woods. We need Guy to tell us what happened. He may actually know where Gray is. He can’t die.”
“Silencio!” The order came from the driver again. As our conversation grew more heated, our voices had raised.
I lurched to the side as the vehicle pulled into the parking lot, kicking up dust as it went.